Andrea Arco, Founder and CEO | Arco + Associates | Ballwin, MO USA

Andrea directed the marketing efforts at two Boston-based law firms, held senior copywriter positions at advertising agencies along the East Coast, and worked as the Marketing Director at The University of Virginia’s Engineering School.

She has been published in The Boston Business Journal, Women’s Business, The National Law Journal, and The Pittsburgh Business Times. She graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC with degrees in communications and journalism. She holds advanced certifications in corporate communications, public relations, and business marketing.

Andrea is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association.

What would be the most important thing you would want everyone to know about your organization?

We care deeply about the success of our clients’ organizations; their success is truly our success and is the reason we have grown primarily by referrals for almost 15 years.

When was your organization founded, and where? What is the story behind how your organization began?

Arco + Associates was founded in 2005 by Andrea Arco-Mastromichalis after she had held agency roles and corporate marketing positions in which she interacted with agencies. She knew there was a better way to execute the agency model that put clients and their businesses first. She designed an agency that mixed business savvy with creative know-how and prioritized results over awards and ego.

What leadership habits and cultural values have led to your organization’s success and recognitions?

It is part of the Arco culture to maintain a healthy perspective and a good sense of humor. Creativity blooms when individuals feel comfortable enough to share ideas and laugh. Agency life is stressful and fast-paced; it can also be really fun with the right team.

Are there any interesting activities that your staff does as a group that are reflective of your organization’s culture?

Each year, our entire company goes on a thematic retreat for 3 full days. It is a chance to get to know each other better as co-workers, people, and friends. We have scheduled content centered around a theme chosen based on challenges experienced throughout the year; activities, and good food and drink are enjoyed. It is a fun and informative time that brings the team (especially remote members) closer together.

What changes in the industry does your team find interesting and why?

Marketing is a cyclical industry. Even though technology is everchanging and it is an extremely competitive market segment, the basic principles of marketing do not change—just the tools used to execute those principles. We love the challenge of getting a new client, discovering their business goals, and putting best marketing practices (with new and innovative tools) to work for them to achieve real results.

How is your organization better prepared to compete?

We hire individuals with a diverse array of skills, but also with a commitment to serve the clients’ success. By ensuring each hire is a cultural fit, we have little turnover, which is important for clients as the company continues to grow.

What makes your organization’s products, services, and solutions special?

We take each prospect through an in-depth marketing and business assessment and then craft three custom marketing strategies based on that analysis. This is all before the prospect has even signed a contract. It is a ton of value up front, but it’s also the way we put together a comprehensive strategy that we know will produce results should they choose to work with us.

What changes or growth do you predict for your organization in the coming years?

We have aggressive growth goals and are looking to double revenue within the next 5-10 years. That would also mean we would increase staff size by around 5-7 team members.

How did your organization first become acquainted with the Women World Awards?

A firm we work with out of New York City recommended the Women World Awards to us and we were honored to apply and humbled to find out we had won a gold medal in our category. We strive to be the best for our clients in a very competitive industry; awards like this are further proof that we have taken the right approach.

Arco + Associates | Ballwin, MO USA

Arco + Associates is a marketing communications firm that focuses on creating and executing marketing strategies to augment business results. As a full-service agency, we offer marketing strategy, content creating, branding, design, and public relations.